Stricter Income Requirements Will Leave an Estimated 1,300 Women and 400 Babies Without Coverage Each Month
Des Moines, IA — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds today signed into law a bill that extends postpartum Medicaid to 12 months instead of the current 60-day cutoff. As a result, thousands of Iowa women and babies will no longer qualify for Medicaid coverage, because the measure tightens income eligibility requirements.
"Iowa has finally joined 47 other states in extending postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months from the current 60 days,” said Mazie Stilwell, Director of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa. “While this long overdue step is worth celebrating – we must acknowledge the unnecessary loss in coverage to 1,300 moms and 400 babies each month. If Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans actually cared about the health of Iowa moms and babies, they would have used our enormous budget surplus to continue coverage without changing income requirements. Rather than fixating on culture wars like opposing inclusive Title IX rules, they should be focusing on cleaning up the devastating maternal care crisis created through reckless policy choices in this state."
Iowa ranks last in the nation in OBGYNs per capita, according to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. One-third of Iowa counties are maternity care deserts. Black Iowans are six times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than their white counterparts. Meanwhile, Iowa politicians are sinking $2 million in taxpayer money into funding anti-abortion centers that deceive pregnant Iowans into thinking they are legitimate health care providers.
###
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa (PPAI) is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with a mission of fostering and preserving a social and political climate favorable to reproductive health. To meet this mission, PPAI engages in lobbying, issues education, and supporter mobilization.
Tags: